Awning arm adjustment



O. J. ACKERMAN AwNING ARM ADJUSTMENT Aug. 12, 1941.

Filed Oct. 8,'1938 Patented Aug. 12, 1941 AWNING ARM ADJUSTMENT @tto il. Ackerman, Cieveland, Ohio, assignor, by mesnc assignments, of one-half to Topeka Tent & Awning Co., Topekafians., a corporation of Kansas Application @ctober 8, 1938, Serial No. 234,819

3 Claims.

The invention relates generally to folding awning arms and more particularly .to adjustable spring tension means for holding the arms in unfolded position.

In certain prior awning arm constructions the amount of tension is dimcult to adjust, and since it is often necessary to readjust the amount of tension several times after the awning arms are installed, the adjusting operation involves considerable time and difficulty.

The most efcient and desirable location for applying the tension is at the joint between the inner and outer arms, and where fiat bar arms are used, a tension spring hasbeen housed in an open-ended .tube secured to one arm adjacent the joint between the arms. Where tubular arms are used the tension spring is conveniently housed in one of said arms.

In prior constructions where the open-ended tube is provided, the tension is adjusted by reaching into one end of the tube with a sui-table tool. However, where the tension spring is housed in a tubular arm it is usually inconvenient and difiicult to provide access to the tension means inside of the arm without weakening or complicating-the construction thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved tensioning means at the joint between a pair of folding awning arms, which means is capable of rapid and easy adjustment before and after installation.

Another object is .to provide an improved awning arm adjustment in which the tensioning means is enclosed in a housing and easily adjustable from the exterior of said housing.

A further object is to provide an improved awning arm adjustment particularly adapted for tubular arms and having tensioning means enclosed in one of said arms.

A still further object is to provide an improved awning arm adjustment in Which the tensioning means is adapted to be easily disconnected without disassembling the same and without disturbing the adjustment thereof.

And finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide an easily adjusted folding awning arm which is light in weight and simple and inexpensive in construction, and which is particularly easy to ship, install and maintain.

These and other objects are attained by the parts, elements, improvements, combinations and arrangements comprising the present invention, which is disclosed by way of example in the accompanying drawing and described and claimed herein.

In general terms the invention may be stated as including a spring preferably located within one tubular arm at the end thereof adjacent the joint between the arms, a connector rod extending through the spring and adapted for compressing the same, and a linkage connecting the connector rod to an anchor member adjustably mounted on the other awning arm.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding awning arm mounted in extended position on a support and equipped with the improved tensioning means;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view'of the awning arm in partially folded position, partly in section to illustrate the construction and arrangement of the tensioning means;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts in folded position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view as on line @1 -fi, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View as on line 5--5, Fig. 4.

The same parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout the several View in the drawing.

The folding awning arm indicated in Fig. 1 includes an inner arm I5 pivoted for lateral swinging on a wall bracket l in a usual manner, and the Wall bracket is suitably secured to a support 8, as by bolts Sl. Preferably, adjusting means indicated generally at Iil are provided on the wall bracket l for adjusting the arm vertically as desired.

A tubular arm I l is hinged at its inner end to the outer end of inner arm 6 by means of a hinge pin indicated at I2, and the outer arm II is provided at its outer end with a fitting I3 adapted for mounting a front rod (not shown) to which the awning fabric is secured in the usual manner.

Preferably, the inner end of outer arm III is provided with a hinge fitting I4 telescoped thereover and having an off-set yoke l5, the ears It of which are journaled on the hinge p-in I2. The inner tubular arm 6 has a hinge fitting Il detachably secured on its inner end, and .the f1tting Il is provided with ears I8 journaled on the hinge pin I 2 and overlapping the ears l.

The hinge fitting il is preferably provided with a tubular portion I9 which telescopes over the inner end of tubular arm 6 and has a shoulder 2i] against which the end of arm 6 abuts. Preferably, the tubular portion I9 is split as shown at 2|, and ears 22 are provided at each side of the split through which a bolt or rivet 23 is inserted for clamping the tubular portion i9 around the tubular arm 6. Preferably, set screws 24 are screwed through the tubular portion i9 into the arm 6 to prevent the arm from turning or slipping in said tubular portion.

The improved tensioning means for urging the arms 6 and I l toward extended or unfolded position preferably includes a helical spring 25 located within the tubular arm 6. A connector rod 26 extends through the spring 25, and through a bushing 21 which is secured in the hinge end of tubular portion I9, as by a set screw 28, and forms an abutment for one end of spring 25.

The free end of rod 26 preferably has a nut or crosshead 29 thereon for abutting the end of the spring opposite the bushing 21 so that a pull on the rod 26 compresses the spring 25 against the bushing 21.

The other end of the connector rod 26 is pivotally connected to a linkage which may be a chain 3i), and the chain 30 is connected to the outer arm in such a way that the compression on spring 25 urges the arms toward their unfolded position,

Preferably a sleeve 3| is journaled on the hinge pin I2, and the chain 3i] wraps around said sleeve as the arms are folded (Figs. 2 and 3). Means for adjustably connecting the chain 30 to the outer arm Il preferably includes an anchor member 32 having a hook 33 to which the end of the chain 36 is detachably and pivotally connected. The anchor member 32 may be substantially dovetail in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4 and is slidably mounted in a dovetail groove 34 provided in the off-set portion l5 of the hinge fitting I4, so that the anchor member is held in the groove 34 regardless of any angularity between the anchor member 32 and chain 36.

Preferably a bolt 35 is screwed into the anchor member 32 and the head 36 of the bolt abuts a ange 31 at the outer end of the groove 34. Accordingly, by turning the bolt 35 the position of the anchor member 32 may be adjusted to vary the compression on spring 25.

The bolt head 36 is located in such a position as to always be easily accessible and provides means for quickly adjusting the tensioning means without reaching into the tubular arm which houses the spring, and without requiring any special tools.

Moreover, the end of the chain 30 can be disconnected from the hook 33 to relieve the tension on the arms when they are shipped or transported, and the chain can be again connected to the hook 33 when the arms are installed, by merely pulling the chain and sufficiently compressing the spring 25 so as to allow the end of the chain to be engaged over the hook. In this way the anchor member 32 can be adjusted to provide a predetermined amount of tension,

then the chain disconnected during shipment of the folding arm, and when the chain is again connected the same amount of tension will be applied to the tubular arm.

The improved tensioning means is easily assembled by inserting the connector rod 26 and the spring 25 encircling the same into the arm 6 through the hinge end thereof. The bushing 21 is then inserted in the hinge end of tubular portion i9 and secured in position by set screw 28, after which the chain 3l] may be connected to hook 33 of anchor member 32 when desired.

While I have described the invention as applied to a construction wherein both awning arms are tubular, the scope of the invention includes an awning arm construction having only one tubular arm, or a tubular portion on one arm for housing the tensioning spring.

I claim:

1. In folding awning arm construction including inner and outer tubular arms hinged together, tensioning means urging the arms to unfolded position including a spring in one arm, a connector rod extending through said spring and having a crosshead thereon for compressing said spring, a linkage pivotally connected at one end to said connector rod, the other awning arm having a dovetail groove therein, an anchor member slidably mounted in said groove and detachably connected to the other end of said linkage, and means for adjusting the position of said anchor member in said groove.

2. In folding awning arm construction having inner and outer arms hinged together and one of said arms having a tubular portion, tensioning means urging the arms to unfolded position including a spring located in said tubular portion, a connector rod extending through said spring and having a crosshea-d thereon for compressing said spring, a linkage pivotally connected at one end to said connector rod, the other awning arm having a dovetail groove therein, an anchor member slidable in said groove and having a hook for detachably engaging the other end of said linkage, and a bolt on said other awning arm screwed into said anchor member for adjusting its position in said groove.

3. In a folding awning arm construction including inner and outer arms hinged together, at least one of said arms being tubular, tensioning means urging said arms to unfolded position including a spring in said tubular arm, a connector rod connected at one end to said spring, a linkage pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said connector rod, the other awning arm having a channel groove therein, said groove having a restricted longitudinal open side, an anchor member having complemental surfaces slidably mounted in said groove and detachably connected to the other end of said linkage, and means for adjusting the position of said anchor member in said groove.

OTTO J ACKERMAN. 

